Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

I spun for the good folks over at "AURA" this past weekend. Super dope new spot that you should definitely check out if you haven't done so yet. They've got some fly stuff coming up for certain. Glad I will get to be a part of it :)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Well, here we are again, another year, another decade. Optimism about the future is tempered with a nagging sense that underlying factors causing most of the misery in the world still exist. Lucky, then, that I’m a musician and not a politician.

Specifically, when it comes to the wallet, everyone’s suffering…of that there can be no doubt. And what of the financial prospects for musicians and recording artists in the years to come? Shaky, at best. Unless you’re one of the grotesque ‘Idol’-type pop disasters in the top 5, you’re looking at getting a day job or finding other sources of income. Conventional wisdom amongst my peers has been remarkably short-sided over the last decade: “Yeah, CD sales are down, but all the money is in licensing.” Not anymore. “Yeah, licensing money is down, but the video game industry is killing it.” Less so these days, according to recent data. “Well, the real money is in touring.” Really? When was the last time you saw a ‘new,’ post-record company artist headline a major music festival? At this rate, we’ll be stuck with Coldplay for decades (no offense intended).

Time for a little straight talk, from one reasonably intelligent human being to YOU, the reasonably intelligent reader. As distasteful as it may sound, the fact is that so many of our heroes: Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, The Beatles, whoever you care to name; generated much of their best art in return for financial compensation. If you take away the compensation, guess what…the art stops. For example, how many young rap artists are grinding away these days in New York, trying to get a deal? Not too many, certainly compared to the ‘80s and ‘90s. There’s no allure, no pot at the end of the rainbow. People have been asking for years now, “Where’s the next Nas, the next Jay-Z?” Be prepared to keep waiting…and for music, overall, to keep sucking. Why? Because only bottom-of-the-barrel, embarrassing pop tripe generates enough income to feed the machine. Anything unproven or risky? Nobody’s going to bankroll that kind of ‘experiment.’

Let me be clear: I love music. I love the culture of music, making music, playing music, geeking out over music from the past and present. I love old record company stories, and the characters that inhabited it. In other words, I have learned to appreciate the merchants of commerce as well as the art. If you love movies or cars, chances are you can relate to what I’m describing. What would Hollywood be without the larger-than-life, audacious personalities behind the scenes? What would cars be like if there had never been Detroit?

Gone are the recording studios (including the historically important Plant down the road from me in Sausalito), the record shops, and the music magazines. Replaced by the oh-so-cynical, oh-so-corrosive AM talk radio of the new millennium, the Internet. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Chances are, you may have even been one of those majority who danced on the grave of the falling record companies, pointed to Radiohead giving their album away for free and said, “See, look, if they can do it, why can’t everyone else?” Slowly, I turn…

Every artist is entitled to their own price point, just as every consumer has a choice in what they purchase. Nobody puts a gun to someone’s head and says, “Hey, buy this Picasso for 20 million.” Likewise, if $9.99 is too much to spend for one of my albums, so be it, your choice. But if you’re holding your breath, waiting for me to boost my cool-quotient by giving my music away for free, it’s not going to happen. The fact is that I feel my music has value. You may disagree, and that’s fine. But I know how much energy I put into what I do, and how long it takes me to make something I’m satisfied with. Giving that away just feels wrong to me. It’s not about money per se; I can donate a large sum of money to charity and not think twice, but I won’t give my art away. I’d rather sell it to 100 people who value it as I do than give it away to 1000 who could care less. That’s MY choice.

I realize these are all unpopular subjects. Artists are never supposed to address their flock about such icky subjects as business and commerce. (By the way, and I hope it doesn’t sound disingenuous, but now would be a REALLY good time to express my undying THANKS for your support, which matters IMMENSELY in my ability to retain music as my primary endeavor. As a fan of others, I always used to wonder, “does this artist or group really care about whether I buy their stuff or not? Do they care that I go to their show?” YES, WE CARE!!!!! Now, more than ever). Most think that I should stop whining, grow up and embrace the Internet, become more active, tweet more, hype more, give more stuff away, etc, etc. Honestly, I’ve tried…and will keep trying. But the bottom line is that not every paradigm or system is right for everyone. We’ve all been told for years that the Internet is our Savior; it’s cool, youthful, hip, the solution to every problem, and if you aren’t joining a new networking site on a weekly basis, you’re a social pariah. Sorry…I just don’t feel that way. I’m old enough to know that when 99% of the population is marching lockstep in one direction, sometimes it’s wise to break rank and go the other way. Plus, I simply don’t like sitting in front of a computer screen all day.

I’m not saying that I don’t use the Internet on a regular basis; I do. And obviously I’m very proud of this site and its ability to support itself through the store. Honestly, I just think a large portion of the dialogue and content available online is an utter shit fest: a Pandora’s box of violence, neurosis, bad impulses, and bad intentions. It has become the “Super Horror Show” the Last Poets could never have dreamed of, like bad television on steroids and angel dust simultaneously. CL Smooth memorably called television “a schism…negative realism.” And much like the TV of the ‘60s and ‘70s, you will NEVER hear or read anything negative about the Internet ON the Internet. There’s too much money to be made, by someone somewhere (and hey, why ruffle the feathers of the goose that’s laying the golden egg, right?). 20 years from now, it will be interesting to see what hindsight reveals. I predict a flag on the time-line: when we moved closer to becoming a passionless, listless, hollowed-out society, one in which art and nature could no longer provide the psychological shock to the system required to endure another harrowing day of terror alerts and super-bugs. Music can only suggest sex and violence…the Internet provides both, full frontal and full strength, 24/7. Maximum dose.

Whatever…what will be will be. As long as I breathe, I’ll make music, love music, support music. I used to get in fights at school to defend my right to listen to rap, and I’ll fight on against any institution or prevailing thinking that seeks to dictate to me how and when the music I make is to be disseminated. If there’s 50 of you, or 100, or more out there willing to accept my right to choose, as I accept yours, then welcome aboard…you are my fan base. The rest of you that don’t, and want me to play someone else’s game…I wish you well. Let’s just leave the subject at that and call it what it is: a mutual misunderstanding.

Regardless, it’s going to be a hell of a year. I am working hard on new music, and hope to share some of it with you in the coming months (really!). I’m fully aware that there are many former fans that insist my best work is behind me. Well, respectfully, I disagree. It’s not easy walking the tightrope between artistic validity and financial solvency, but I stand behind all of the decisions I have made to date. What matters to me is that EVERYONE reading this knows that I take my career, my music, and my fans EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. When I started in music 25 years ago, my mission was to provide an alternative, to expand the scope of choice available to music lovers like myself; and above all to demonstrate a willingness to go the extra mile and put the MAXIMUM EFFORT in EVERYTHING I DO, so that the bar continues to be raised, not lowered. Whether that manifests itself on stage, on record, or as a character in a video game, I honestly feel that I have given it my best, win or lose, and I’m proud of that. I have to believe that your continued support is a vote of confidence, which I take great comfort in as I strive to create some of my best work to date.

I may not be the best looking dude out there…I may not be the most linked-in, the most prolific, the most successful…but I’ll be god-damned if I’m not up there with the most passionate. If you agree with what I’m saying, that so much music we’re fed is utter GARBAGE that insults the intelligence, then no matter where you’re at…the States, the UK, France, Japan, Canada, Australia, wherever…we’re ALL outsiders, and we owe it to each other to band together and fight for something better. Personally, I’m loving the challenge, and when the time is right, I look forward to reconnecting with all of you.

Monday, January 4, 2010

I am going to turn 30 in a few weeks, which means these ears have had nearly 14 years of djing. Hindsight is 20/20 and I can tell you it sure would have been helpful to know basic dj etiquette from the beginning. Many a gig would have been significantly smoother if someone had taken the time to share a few universal principles of dealing with others. So, to help you avoid the same mistakes, lets go over the basics of dealing with other djs, patrons and club owners from the perspective of the digital dj.

WITH OTHER DJS

This is the area where most djs get themselves into trouble. The common newcomer mistake is to view the other djs as competition and not opportunities for more gigs. Treat your fellow djs with respect and I promise it will lead to more shows. Here are a few critical rules to follow in the booth.

1) Never set up while some one else is djing (if avoidable)

- Setting up your sound card and gear during the last songs of a djs set can really create a lot of tension in the booth and leave them very pissed off at you. No bueno.

2) If sound check is not possible then bring a short mix CD to blend out of the last dj.

- Set up while that mix plays and only after the other dj has exited. (Give yourself 20 minutes)

3) If all else fails then follow these rules.

Leave plenty of time to do it (20 minutes or more)Tell him/her you are going to be setting up, and to please let you know if you’re in the way at all. Let him know he has plenty of time and your just setting up in advance. This way no-one feels rushed!Take your time and do one or two things while the current dj is not in the middle of the mix. When they are in the mix or working- don’t get anywhere near the mixer!Thank them for their patience when you are done.

4) If you’re opening for another dj here are a few very important rules

Know your place and don’t over rock the floor. Your job is to warm up the room not beat it into submission. If you want to impress the headliner, don’t do it with 15 peak anthems. Impress them by showing restraint and setting up the headliner to look good. This WILL lead to more gigs.If the floor is empty please don’t turn it up to 8. Keep the volumes low for the early part of the night and if you dare, keeping the tempos lower would also help ease people into the flow.Make your last track a long one! Don’t ever leave a dj 2 minutes to mix, give him a nice long track with at least 4-7 minutes of transition time to get acclimated to the booth.Don’t stay on the mixer and ride the filters for the last 4 minutes of the track, leaving the next dj with 1 minute to mix. This makes you look like an absolute amateur.Don’t stay in the booth and turn it into your personal party with your friends unless invited to do so.Don’t turn the sound system up to 10. Leave some room for the next dj to push it.Don’t leave your monitors blaring while they are trying to get set up.Do ask them if the tempo your playing at will work and don’t make any drastic changes.Don’t leave drinks lying aroundDo tidy up the booth after yourself5) If you are coming on after another dj

Enter the booth 5-10 minutes before your start timeRespectfully introduce yourself and let them know your expected start time and how soon that is based on your watch.If there is a conflict in start times, don’t argue! Go get the promoter and let them straighten it out.When your ready to start playing let the other dj know you are ready to go- don’t stand over his shoulder with your headphones in hand.Even though you are probably the most amazing dj ever to grace the decks- it wont hurt to watch what the other guy is doing for 20-30 minutes and feel out the crowd. Especially if this is out of town, the residents will have a lot better idea what the crowd wants than you do.

WITH CLUB OWNERS

Its important to recognize whom you are dealing with. The typical club owner is a businessman with very little time and no interest in the micro sub music genre that is your life passion. Keep your interactions short and make their life easy to ensure you will get regular calls back.

1) Don’t send demos in the mail

2) Do drop demos off in person

3) Don’t expect to get paid instantly after your done

- they have 25 other people to pay too.

4) If they ask you to change the music, suck it up.

5) When they call to book a gig or you meet in person

-always have your calendar available and be prepared to book something on the spot. They won’t call back.

6) Don’t expect to get free drinks all night long.

-Every club has different policies but a few drinks for each dj is typically expected. Consume 10 and you will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. If more are provided, great, but err on the cautious side.

-If this is your first gig, it might be wise to not drink at all and put your best foot forward.

7) Do follow up regularly to see if there are openings. The squeaky wheel gets the gig.

8) Do make small talk and get to know the booker

-show interest in things other than djing. Making friends in good places is the surest way to regular gigs.

WITH THE PATRONS

This is the hardest area to swallow the ego but it’s probably the most important. The people attending this gig are not privileged subjects of your royal musical kingdom- they are keeping you in business so treat them with the appropriate consideration.

1) When someone requests a song please keep this in mind

Act like an ass hole and the entire group will hate you and probably talk to the staff about it.Be courteous if at all possible, remember they are drunk and probably have no clue so use your kid gloves when dealing with a rowdy patronWhile you don’t have to play a request- consider that this is the most direct way to find out what parts of the crowd “wants”. You may not play the song but perhaps use it as a barometer in your selections.The easiest way to diffuse a request if you don’t take them is by smiling and giving them a thumbs up. Chances are they wont come back and you both kept the vibe positive. If they do come back, you can legitimately say, ” I couldn’t hear you!”If you do take requests, it might be wise to bring a clipboard and a pen. This way you are not distracted by trying to figure out what song they want, and there is a record of songs to fall back on.2) If a patron offers you money to play something

Take the money and put it in “escrow” and say, “I will see what I can do”If you play the song, you keep it.If you don’t play it, and they come back give the money backIf they never come back the money is yours.3) Its not un-reasonable to require that people do not place drinks anywhere near your equipment.

-If this becomes a problem- get a security guard and let them handle it.

4) If someone wont leave you alone or becomes hostile

- dont confront them and immediately get a security guard

5) Do build a barrier around your personal area

- make it clear which areas are off limits. Don’t be afraid to eject patrons that decide to make this zone their personal dance floor.

6) Don’t play into the sleazy dj cliché and hit on women all night.

WITH BOUNCERS

This is the group of individuals you are most likely to have problems with after the drunken request monger. The security guard wants 2 things: To get paid and go home so keep that in mind when playing your last tracks. Remember that the security guards are the people most likely to take feedback from dancers about your performance, so if you want that information passed on to bookers, try and keep them happy if at all possible. Yes, many a bouncer may be nothing but hired muscle but the last thing you want is to get into a tangle with them so keep your cool if at all possible.

A WORD TO THE WISEThere are many ways to leave a bad impression in the club and just a few ways to leave a good one so the best policy is to keep your profile low and professionalism high. Even in the biggest of cities, the nightlife scene can be small and full of gossip so keep your reputation clean by treating all the people listed above even better than you would hope to be treated by them.